Liquid relief
by SmeeTheRat
Summary: Emma and Snow are tightly wound and attempting to calm themselves down. Family feels and comfort.


Oneshot set in Neverland while searching for Henry.

* * *

She was going out of her mind, lying in her bunk trying to calm herself down by counting the knots in the wood that made up the ceiling of her cabin. Maybe if she bored herself out of her mind, her body would be forced to unwind.

It wasn't working.

It wasn't just Neverland and the search for Henry. It was everything since she had set foot in _Crazybrooke_. It was just too much. Now, sailing towards Neverland, it was even worse. In Storybrooke she could go to Granny's. Even get out of town for an hour or two if she wanted. Not that she really ever did but knowing she could was enough. She had freedom of movement.

But on this ship, she had no such thing. Only her worries and a few very cranky people to keep her company. She would give anything for some hot cocoa and cinnamon right about now.

_Wait… god!_

She hurriedly stumbled out of bed, rapidly scrambling to her feet and almost running to her jacket hanging on the back of the chair in the corner of the small room. Frantically searching the pockets for what she was looking for, a victorious smile stretching her lips as she felt her fingers make contact with the two small packets of Coffee Crisp flavoured hot chocolate she had left. _Jackpot!_ Emma had stuffed them in there one morning planning to use them over at the station but in the end she hadn't. Sure, it was the commercial stuff and she had no whipped cream or cinnamon but at the moment, she couldn't bring herself to care. It was the next best thing.

Exiting the cramped cabin, she went looking for Mary-Margaret.

She found her in the galley, munching down on some honeyed bread and looking at the ceiling. Apparently her mother had gotten the same idea as she did, Emma thought with a sad smile, slowly making her way over, greeting her in a soft voice.

"Hey, knots?" Emma asked simply, sitting at the table facing Snow.

"Knots" the other woman replied with a sigh.

"Yeah, me too. But you know what? I have just the thing we need."

Snow's curious eyes widened with recognition as Emma slammed the packets down on the table in front of her with a smug grin. There was a short pause as the two women made eye contact and nodded as understanding passed between them. 'Someone walks in, they better walk the hell back out.'

"I'll boil the water" was all that Snow said as she stood and headed to the counter behind her with purpose.

A few minutes later they were sitting down at the table with two cups of warm comforting liquid in front of them.

Without a word, bringing their cups up, they simultaneously breathed in the rich smell, the chocolate aroma wrapping itself around the hint of coffee gloriously enticing and shutting down their brain from anything else around them. Closing their eyes, both women smiled, going in for the first taste. They took a slow sip, letting the hot and sweet liquid languidly invade their senses. Gently swallowing, the comforting heat spread through their bodies at it made its way down their throat. Lazily opening their eyes, they let the moment drag on, comforted by the other's presence and the blissful silence.

"Almost better than … you know… " Mary-Margaret whispered the last word, not sure if her confession would make Emma uncomfortable what with their new mother-daughter dynamic: "sex"

But the blonde wasn't phased.

"Mmmm, better than SOME of the sex I've had" she confessed absentmindedly, now relishing in the sensation from her second unhurried sip.

"Better than sex with Whale" Snow quietly retorted tit for tat.

Silence filled the room as their eyes locked. Snow's admission and the implications it had on poor Whale hitting them both at the same time. Another pause, then a soft chuckle, turning into soft laughter, until the dam broke and the laughter went out of control. Emma Kicking Snow under the table and her head slamming down on the surface while her shoulders shook with mirth. Snow wiping a lone tear out of her eye as the laughter died down.

"Gods I needed this!" Emma managed to breathe out, catching her breath, leaning back in her chair with her cup in both hands and in that moment both women savoured the feeling they hadn't realized they'd missed so much, back when the curse was still in place and they were just roommates.

Snow nodded and giggled and the rest of the cups were drank in silence, all traces of stress banished from their mind and body, all thanks to a little bit of liquid relief.

* * *

Ok, this ended up being longer than I initially planned. So very glad I was finally able to get this fic out of my head and out there for people to read. It had been on my mind for weeks! Ah! The relief!

I have to say I thought about having Hook and Charming walking in on the laughing women, completely stunned at their shift in personality from the last few days but eventually decided against it, choosing to let the girls have their private moment.

Reviews? Hope you liked it.


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